Guarding the gates
by xXSakura-Hime-SamaXx
Summary: Over the years of guard duty, he'd gotten to know the pinkette rather well, and as she climbed the ranks...he couldn't help but both worry and look forward to seeing her.


He'd first laid eyes on her at her first attempt at the chunin exams, her teammates having drawn attention to the poor girl as she tried to fade into the background.

She was little more than a kid at the time, and his only thought had been how stupid her teammates were.

He'd felt sorry for her that day, especially when the blond started screaming and yelling at Ibiki during the written test.

He'd seen her on and off during the years, her training with Tsunade having her in and out of the village weekly on minor healing missions.

Then, she'd hit jounin and they'd started chatting more and more at the gate, her smile quickly becoming the highlight of his dreary days.

The more they talked, the more he got to know about the young woman who always gave him a smile.

She liked sweets, so he'd made sure to have a few hard candy on hand for when she looked down.

She hated talking about the Uchiha, so he made sure to not mention it and shut everyone else up when they started.

She always smelled like strawberries when she left the village, the scent quickly becoming his favourite. She usually lingered for a few minutes before heading out, so he made sure to absorb as much of the sweet smell as he could.

She found it funny when he blushed, even though he tried to stop. He didn't know when it started, but his face was always red when she came to see him, especially when she admitted to not even having a mission.

And then…she'd gotten promoted.

He could pick the pink haired ANBU member out of her group from a mile away, not even needing to see the masks to tell who she was anymore.

It was the way she walked.

The sway of her hips.

The length of her strides.

The way she'd _always_ turn to look at him instead of focusing straight forward like everyone else.

Kotetsu would always rub his bandaged nose and greet her like usual, usually startling the rest of her group to a halt as her light giggle filled the air. Yeah, he'd gotten a few complaints about his actions, mostly delivered by a smirking Tsunade who'd just wink at him and push them to the side.

The ANBU were in the village anyway, no harm no foul.

And on particularly dreary days, when he had little more to do than just sit there, he'd see her wandering up the road alone, her swaying hips and waving hand telling him that it was the pinkette before she could reach up and remove her mask.

And she'd always be smiling.

Her eyes would be bright, her cheeks lightly flushed, and she'd always, _always_ walk a little faster until she reached him.

Then she'd give him a hug.

That hug was the best part of his week.

And today was just like any other, the faces blurring together as he sighed loudly, Izumo snickering softly to his left as he kept gazing out onto the road, rubbing his bandaged nose and waiting.

Because she had been scheduled to return two days ago.

And he was worried.

So damn worried.

But then he felt the slight flare of chakra, heard Izumo laugh loudly as he jerked towards the road, his eyes softening as that oh so familiar cloaked figure wandered up the worn path and towards them.

The hips,

The walk.

The wave and attention.

It was her.

Sakura was okay.

So when she reached him, he took the initiative and jerked forward, wrapping his arms around the startled girl and pulling her to him before she could even take her mask off.

"You're late…I was worried Sakura-chan." He mumbled as he rested his head on top of hers.

He could still faintly smell the strawberries, even though he knew the scent was just his imagination.

"I know…I'm sorry Kotetsu-kun, I promise it wasn't on purpose." The pinkette mumbled back, hugging him to her tightly as he pulled down her hood. Reaching up around his arms, she took off her mask slowly and looked up at him, her smile bright and her eyes alive yet tired as they locked gazes.

"Don't worry, I'm home."


End file.
